Masteries

Offense:
9

Defense:
0

Utility:
21

Cant kill the Zil

This is my first ever build, so I'd appreciate comments and suggestions. Im creating this build because I always see people playing Zil AP. This is an excellent choice, but there are other fun options that i use all the time that can make a very rewarding zil. Sit back and enjoy making your team love you, and your enemies hate you!

The focus on this build is clearly tanky, max CD (infact, think you waste 3% but u need the archaic knowledge.. worth it), strong late game and able to bait with yourself or an ally.. comeback with chronoshift. Then slow, flash, double bomb, slow etc.

Mastery Tree
9/0/21
Start with picking up archaic knowledge through Sorcery (magic pen 15% and 3% CD) in offensive. The Magic pen and Ability power runes will make you nasty to deal with to anyone, farming is piece of cake @ lvl 5 generally. Next is 21 Utility, where you take everything except intelligence & Utility Mastery (CD & Neutral Buff). Now, i play with teleport and flash with Zil (Ill explain later, but your preference).. If you dont ghost is good choice, but play to your liking. I would not recommend intelligence, you will not need anymore CD after items are maxed! Take advantage of his CD ability rewind.

Summoner Spells
Teleport & Flash if u read whole guide you will understand (helps masterys, and will save yourself and towers all day long)..
Good alternatives as Summoner Spells: If your not fan of teleport or flash
Ghost~this gives you easy masterys and dont have to waste on spawn time, you will not need this mastery as you shouldn't die.. ever.
Heal~this one really surprised me.. when laning with side lane and teammate, can help with early win or kill. Plus with revive is pretty awesome, plz cast after reviving tho..
From there its all preference:
If your good with clairvoyance by all means..
exhaust is nice too (get cripple) can save some mastery CD, plus -10 magic resist
rally ive never tried buy could see its benefits actually.
maybe fortify or ignite (i would rather survivability than these two tho)
Every thing else a waste of time really (smite, clarity, cleanse, revive)

Skill sequence
Level up ChronoShift>Timebombs>rewind>timewarp. I do put 1 level in timewarp @ level 4 (great for ganks and stopping theirs.. but very expensive early game). Time bombs are your bread and butter so get that going, only offensive spell he has. Once your level 5 your ready for the farming to begun! Timewarp, is important to focus mid game so u can spam chronoshift!

Items
This is where my build really stands out, Im always seeing archangel staff, lichbane, mejai's.. AP is great build for Zil, really helps timebomb (obviously) and chronoshift (500/750/1000 +300%AP)........ but......... Zil is very versatile and id like to prove it with this build.. its played different, but can be helpful as you are tanky and later on do some decent damage, constantly pushing creeps and constantly reviving. (in regards to his versatility.. ive even played dps zil and did okay {bonus build chalice, boots, quinsoos rageblade (great with double bomb!), nashorstooth, lichbane... whatever else})

Boots: I never have set boots for any character, always adjust to situation.. Heavy CCs/Mercury Treads, both swiftness and movement speed+3 are great, ive even played afew with ninja tobi, you can argue sorcerers boots but i rather go with survivability with this build.

Skills
Time Bomb~ Place a bomb on enemy champ, creep or ally! Explodes after 4 seconds and can cast rewind to place another bomb to set off first bomb!

This move makes you a force to be reckoned with. This move I recommend saving for champs first few lvls. If your full of mana, might as well use some to level against creep. Remember that the best thing to do is be creative with bombs. Once your Timebomb is maxed, this move really shines.. try to follow some tricks i like to use with Timebombs.
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1. Always place bombs on back creeps, this allows (if laning) your teammate to farm and generally they have less resistance to magic.
2. When you are ahead of lane and creeps are coming in a line towards you, run past the first creeps and stand next to back creeps, Next you fire your bread and butter double bomb when all creeps are next to each other.You should also attack the same creep twice so he will die from bomb faster.
3. Look for back minions with some health missing, when laning with enemy. Place a bomb on that minion, wait for enemy champ comes close to my bomby creep then rewind and cast another bomb on same bomby creep. This will set off both bombs if first bomb kills creep.. & youre farming the whole time and harrassing.
4. My favorite is to kill Trynd.. with his Ult, thinkin hes the master of survival! Place a bomb when he is already started ult and place bomb, if timed right he will run away just to be killed after his ult is over.
5. @ Level 5 timebomb, you can usually place a bomb on back creeps attack each back creep one time and the bomb will go off seconds later killing back row.
6. Once you have Chalice, Cast this spell all day long! This is spell is pretty expensive Since your casting two at a time usually. That is why i focused alot on masterys and runes too.

Rewind~ Cast to CD all abilities by 10 seconds, except rewind.

This works in sink obviously with timebomb, but also serves a great purpose with Chronoshift. Once ChronoShift is cast constantly cast this spell (especially if @ fountain), make Chronoshift always avail and stay in group fights, saving people is your job with this build once you hit level 6 (more realistically 10, need mana to spam with).. & the greatest thing is that it always costs 50 mana! abuse it.

Timewarp~ Haste/Slow to single target.

This spell is great for ganking and avoiding them.. remember this can save a friend so always stay with team member even when low health(within reason). Also use this spell to slow opponent or haste and help team get kill, or take it myself. Careful if u get this spell early, its pretty mana costly.

When you have mastered this build and play style, you will be making so many rage quits and quick wins, u'll be swimmin in IP. Here are some useful tips:
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1. Cast chrono constantly; on yourself, on your team. With this build by lvl 14 you should have full CD reduction 40% (by lvl 14 your Chronoshift will be @ lvl 2 and take 100 seconds CD+40% CD is more like 100 seconds), plus rewind.. you can cast every 6 seconds!! Ive revived twice in one team fight, and so can you!
2. Bait for your team, or have someone else bait with u hiding in brush (then revive, flash, slow, double bombs etc).. i even usually let "dead" teammate pickup kill, if they are carry or need kill.. you farm plenty and your assists will be super high!
3. If an enemy turret is really close to dying dont be afraid to stick around (100-400life), tank the turret with this build and chrono yourself.. if youre smart abt it it can be that last hit that finishes turret.

4. Remember Chronoshift has huge range, so cast through walls.
5. I take teleport with me because you can make some sweet saves with teleport and Chronoshift. If you see a bad situation with ally and see some creeps around, teleport in. Cast chronoshift immediately (slow, double bomb etc).
6. Plus, if youve read Morthos's "Oh no, not HIM...", you should be familiar with the revive, flash through wall and haste away laughing.. It is true and i laugh everytime, thanx Morthos! Ive survived 5v1 many times with this technique.
7. When Reviving, Favor: Carry>anyone with buff>anyone with escape>anyone with CC>the friend you invited but sucks>tank.. you yourself are right around "anyone with escape" depending on situation.
8. Most important: when casting revive on ally.. dont just leave them to die go tank for them if they need it. Try to make opponent not want that kill anymore from bombs, slows and haste.

Runes
Magic Pen marks, ability power quints (i like one flat health, but all AP good)(also 2%exp can be ridiculous with zil, but will be wasted late game), AP qlyphs and mana regen (ur choice flat/perlvl), but u dont need all just 3 or 4 and whatever else you like/have. I do health/lvl, dodge it actually pretty fun too (i like primarys).

Start
Begin game with Meki pendant and two health pots, you can also start with boots and 2 mana pots and possibly health, but id only recommend this if you are comfortable with zil & have teleport to get right back in farming early game after picking up meki or chalice..
You need to go where you are needed. Place bombs on champs only to harass them, continue this until level 5, then u can place bombs on creeps and farm, while harassing enemy champ!
If you can mid take it (with exp passive and masterys mid will have you higher level than anyone), but helping a side lane is just as good. Side lane is especially good if u have champ that has hard time farming early, zil can harass extremely well. . Also Zil is amazing @ solo side lane if you have a jungle character!
Dont be greedy, but dont be afraid to go in for kill when time is right.

You can return to fountain and get full boots, but its a usually a good idea to get simple boots and get chalice, whenever since you have teleport.. once you have chalice you can cast bombs all day long!
You Should then get either: glacial shroud (20% CD, plus armor and mana.. all will be needed and welcomed!) or Soul Shroud (start with giants belt, allows you to play mid game with great survivability) both give good CD reduction which is key to this. Once one is done, get the other. You now have 38%CD, pretty cozy so sit on it that way for awhile! Your job is to run between lanes blowing up whole groups of creep pushing towers, be in every team fight while spamming Chronoshift and generally baiting opponents into bad moves that get them killed. You should aim for luring opponents into killing your champ around tower/and or team, they usually stick around to try to finish you off after chrono.. thats when u slow opponent, run to turret while double bombing.Mid Game
You should be either finished up with Glacial shroud and Soul Shroud or close too it. Now you have some more fun options.. you can save up for needlessly large rod and aim for Zhong's or you can get another giants belt and aim for rylai's sceptor. Both are great, zhongs will make you nasty with bombs, and chronoshift will heal much more! Rylais sceptor is more survivability and gives you even more slows! Most important is adapting @ this point really (some other fun alternatives might be guinsoo rageblade, guardian angel, abyssal sceptor, i even like starks furvor!). Save towers that are 4vtower by teleporting and casting chrono (whoever needs it) and then aim for nearest minion that is centered and damaged alittle double bomb the same one. If double bombed correctly, this will cause all creeps to die and turret to target champs that are left and then you can slow them!Late-game
You should be supporting a teammate carry that will push through any and all lanes! If the game makes it long enough to finish ult build (chalice,boots,frozen heart,soul shroud,zhongs,rylai's), u should be ridiculous @ this point able to cast Chrono in less than a minute! Your AP thanks to zhong and rylais is something to be feared (timebomb hurts 400-500 each! Chronoshift revives for 1800+) and slows/hastes too boot.

Final Thoughts & extras~~
Take advantage of Zil's passive, 8% extra exp for whole team! It is always a great idea to have a jungle (if someone can) so you all take the most advantage of extra exp% and zil is perfect solo side-laner.
This build may not work if you do not get runes (at least marks (magic pen), quints and glyphs(AP)), they are vital to your farming and killing (and its pointless if you cant buy items you need) since you buy no AP until mid-game or even late mid-game.
Also, dont need buffs really that much, so help teammates that need buffs by letting them have it. Mana regen and CD are high enough. You dont need exp, you should be way ahead so no need to jungle for exp.
Remember you have teleport too and can grab sight wards and drop them on the way.. always helpful near nashor, dragon, enemy turret, golem or lizard king camp.
If Summoners Rift, use to claim baron mid-game or early late-game. Communicate it with team, you can make a big impact by 1-4 champs focus Baron & staying in bushes below scouting, when a champs is going to die revive them, place double bombs, go back to bushes and keep rewinding (you do no damage to nashor practically with timebombs). If enemy team, or scary champ comes in slow or haste and distract away from nashor attempt.
Im not saying this is best Zil, i have played hundreds of games with this build, it takes practice but is very rewarding build. Remember that since you start by getting chalice and boots, you have time to decide if this is the right build for the game you are playing, if your a killer go AP/if you have weak tank or good communication with allies go my Cant kill the Zil!

League of Legends is a team based, real time strategy game set in a mythical world of swords & magic where epic battles decide the fate of mystical nations. Game players take on the role of a Summoner who conjures and controls champions to fight for them at the Institute of War. During game play champions gain experience and items to enhance their skills and abilities. How players develop and play their champions can be the difference between a crushing defeat or a glorious victory!